What You Need To Know This Week

Joe Bryant's What You Need To Know This Week Joe Bryant Published 08/23/2022

One of the best and most comprehensive features we do every year is our Footballguys August Updates. Every week this month, our Bob Henry and Clayton Gray and their team of Footballguys Staffers cover every player that matters from every NFL team. It's worth the Footballguys Premium Subscription by itself.

While I encourage you to read every word on every team for every week, I also understand "Life Happens". And one of the more valuable services Footballguys can add is saving you time.

For this article, we take the August Updates and ask our team writers to distill it down into 100 proof shots of the Need-to-Know material. Some teams will have more news than others because that's how it works in real life. Much of it will be from the August Updates, and some of it will be my takes, but all of it will hopefully be useful to you. And make sure to jump on our Premium Subscription to continue seeing this type of stuff all year long. And if this feature is helpful to you, shoot me an email at bryant@footballguys.com and let me know.

Plus a new addition for this year. For each team, I've included a link to our Depth Charts and also to the Full Camp Report. If you like these bullets and want more detail, check out the Full Camp Report for each team.

Let's get to it.

Arizona Cardinals | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


Atlanta Falcons | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


Baltimore Ravens | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Lamar Jackson is running and throwing great. Jay Glazer said a new contract extension could be an "uphill battle".
  • RB J.K. Dobbins should be ready for Week 1.
  • WR Rashod Bateman is the team’s clear-cut WR1 and second target.
  • TE Mark Andrews never takes a day off in camp and is the top target.
  • TE Isaiah Likely dominated Sunday and played primarily as a wide receiver.

Buffalo Bills | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Josh Allen played only six snaps vs the Broncos backups but finished with a 28-yard touchdown pass.
  • RB Devin Singletary remains the lead, but expect Zack Moss to handle short-yardage duties and to see James Cook in passing situations.
  • WR Gabriel Davis caught the lone touchdown from Allen while Khalil Shakir continues to impress.
  • TE Dawson Knox sat out to be with his family after the death of his younger brother, and the backup job appears wide open.
  • Rookie CBs Kaiir Elam and Christian Benford are competing to fill in for TreDavious White, who may not be healthy by week 1.

Carolina Panthers | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • Neither QB Baker Mayfield nor Sam Darnold played in the second game, but Mayfield was announced as the Week 1 starter.
  • Rookie QB Matt Corral suffered a foot injury and his season is over.
  • Expect an even split between RBs Chuba Hubbard and DOnta Foreman for the backup role behind Christian McCaffrey.
  • All signs point to a committee approach at tight end.
  • The defense could be good, but depth might be an issue.

Chicago Bears | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • TE Cole Kmet’s usage with the starters on Thursday suggests he will be an offensive focal point.
  • The Bears' offensive line is riddled with injuries and looks disastrous so far.
  • LB Roquan Smith ended his hold-in and said he'll play out the final year of his rookie deal.
  • QB Justin Fields is as advertised, showing off his athleticism on seemingly every play.
  • WR Velus Jones has flashed in practices but got most of his usage on Thursday with special teams.

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Cincinnati Bengals | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Joe Burrow’s appendectomy was seemingly more serious than initially reported, but he’s been excellent since returning to practice.
  • RB Samaje Perine is getting the veteran treatment, indicating he’s still the backup despite a push from Chris Evans.
  • WR Tee Higgins is fully back and remains on track in his return from shoulder surgery.
  • S Daxton Hill was the best player on the field against the Giants with a diving interception and multiple impressive tackles.

Cleveland Browns | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Jacoby Brissett will start in Deshaun Watson’s stead, but the team is still a rumored landing spot for Jimmy Garoppolo.
  • WR Amari Cooper is by far the number one target, which could lead to high-volume fantasy numbers.
  • TE David Njoku and Cooper look like Jacoby Brissett’s favorite redzone targets.
  • Between sacks, hurries, and pass knockdowns, the Browns' defense could be a nightmare for quarterbacks.

Dallas Cowboys | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Will Grier may have re-aggravated his groin injury, lessening his chances of displacing Cooper Rush as the No. 2.
  • WR Jalen Tolbert is trending in the wrong direction but remains in line to start Week 1.
  • WR CeeDee Lamb has a foot laceration but should be fine for the regular season.
  • Encouragingly, WR Michael Gallup ran routes in practice last week.
  • Electric returner KaVontae Turpin secured a roster spot with a pair of dynamic touchdowns against the Chargers.

Denver Broncos | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


Detroit Lions | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • Detroit held out all their starters and key contributors from their second preseason game against the Colts
  • QB Jared Goff has received consistently good remarks throughout training camp for his handle on the offense and confidence.
  • WR Jameson Williams continues to be held out of camp as he recovers from his knee injury, with no timetable laid out for his return.
  • The team has high expectations for RB DAndre Swift, with position coach Duce Staley continuously pushing to get the most out of him.

Green Bay Packers | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • Coach Matt LaFleur calls Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon running backs "1A and 1A."
  • Aaron Rodgers feels it’s realistic to expect running backs Jones and Dillon to each catch 50 passes.
  • WR Sammy Watkins, or whoever wins the No. 2 receiver job, has a path to big volume.
  • Rookie WR Romeo Doubs continues to struggle with drops, but dazzles in every other way.
  • Starting TE Robert Tonyan Jr and rookie receiver Christian Watson have come off the PUP list.

Houston Texans | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Davis Mills and the starting offense were uninspiring again before putting together a touchdown drive ahead of halftime.
  • Rookie RB Dameon Pierce was held out of the second game, and he appears to be the team’s starter heading into the season.
  • WR Nico Collins was the lone offensive bright spot for the starting offense and looks poised for a breakout sophomore season.

Indianapolis Colts | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • S Nick Cross is a playmaker.
  • The top target by a wide margin is WR Michael Pittman.
  • Camp star TE Andrew Ogletree tore his ACL and will miss the season.
  • QB Sam Ehlinger is on fire this preseason with a 148.7 QB rating.
  • DE Dayo Odeyingbo is annoying opposing quarterbacks with his pass rush skills.

Jacksonville Jaguars | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


Kansas City Chiefs | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


Las Vegas Raiders | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


Los Angeles Chargers | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • S Derwin James signed the largest safety contract in NFL history and ended his hold-in.
  • QB Justin Herbert has struggled some in camp, but the team is not concerned.
  • RB Joshua Kelley has been the backup to Austin Ekeler, ahead of Isaiah Spiller, who's battling an ankle injury.
  • WR Joshua Palmer had a strong week of practice and was a highlight of the second preseason game until he suffered a concussion. He's in the protocol.

Los Angeles Rams | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • No starters have played in the two games and there is no expectation any of them will play in the final game either.
  • QB Matthew Stafford is dealing with elbow soreness, but there are no concerns about his regular season status.
  • Both RBs Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson continued to sit out with soft tissue injuries with Jake Funk starting in the interim.
  • UDFA WR Lance McCutcheon continues to standout in preseason games battling for a spot on the 53-man roster.

Miami Dolphins | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


Minnesota Vikings | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


New England Patriots | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Mac Jones’ ups have been as profound as his downs at camp.
  • RB Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris will both operate as 3-down backs with Ty Montgomery entering the mix in the RB/WR role.
  • Speedy rookie WR Tyquan Thornton injured his collarbone and expects to be sidelined around eight weeks.
  • WR Nelson Agholor may have played his way back into the team’s plans with a strong week of work.
  • TE Hunter Henry is not thought to be dealing with an injury that will cost him noticeable time.

New Orleans Saints | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • RB Alvin Kamara looks likely to dodge a suspension in 2022.
  • RB Tony Jones looks to be running away with the No. 3 running back job.
  • Top WR Michael Thomas missed time Sunday with a hamstring injury. The team has been quiet, and it's not thought to be serious, but with Thomas, any injury is worrisome.
  • WR Chris Olave continues to shine.
  • WR Marquez Callaway, a 2021 preseason superstar, looks like a trade or release candidate just a year later.

New York Giants | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Daniel Jones is having another concerning summer, but he looked crisp against the Bengals' backup defenders.
  • RB Saquon Barkley is healthy and tired of the criticism.
  • RB Antonio Williams has lit up opposing defenses in the first two preseason games.
  • WR Kenny Golladay was a non-factor despite being the only starting receiver in the lineup.
  • TE Daniel Bellinger was featured prominently but misplayed a ball that led to an interception.

New York Jets | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Zach Wilson won’t start until he is 100%.
  • The Jets rested most of their starters against the Falcons out of caution.
  • HC Robert Saleh’s focus is keeping all his starters healthy until Week 1.
  • WRs Elijah Moore, Corey Davis, and Garrett Wilson all have big playmaking ability.
  • The defensive line is the strength and depth of this defense led by Quinnen Williams.

Philadelphia Eagles | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


Pittsburgh Steelers | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Kenny Pickett played well and has made the Week 1 starter decision difficult.
  • The offensive line has looked rough.
  • RB Najee Harris returned to practice and looks primed to handle another heavy workload.
  • WR Chase Claypool played in the slot and looked great in limited duties Saturday.
  • WR Diontae Johnson had a nice preseason debut and built rapport with both quarterbacks.
  • TE Pat Freiermuth will be an every-down player and offers security in the middle.

San Francisco 49ers | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


Seattle Seahawks | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Tom Brady returned to practice. Coach Todd Bowles gushed, "He's been great, same as when he left."
  • RB KeShawn Vaughn remains in the lead to back up Leonard Fournette.
  • Rookie RB Rachaad White has earned more reps in practice but fumbled against the Titans.
  • The right side of the offensive line is hurting and lacking depth.
  • DE Carl Nassib rejoins the team; his presence helped lead to Shaq Barrett’s career year in ‘19.
  • The secondary is struggling in camp and the preseason.

Tennessee Titans | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report


Washington Commanders | Depth Chart | Footballguys Full Camp Report

  • QB Carson Wentz hasn’t clicked yet in the preseason; he needs to finish scoring drives.
  • RB Brian Robinson started against the Chiefs, further cementing his ascendance.
  • RB Antonio Gibson looked dynamic as the receiving back in place of J.D. McKissic.
  • WR Jahan Dotson has secured a starting role and will play in two-receiver sets.
  • The Commanders continue to be without their top three tight ends.

And that's that for this week. Let me know if you found this type of thing useful by shooting an email to bryant@footballguys.com. And keep up with me on Twitter by clicking the follow button below.

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